Front-axle bumper



June 24, 1930. G. JETT 1,765,764

FRONT AxLE BuMPqR Filed May 25. 1927 s sheets-sheet 1 June 24,1930. G.c'; ETT 1,765,764"

FRONT AXLE BUMPER Filed May 23. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 l June 24, 1930.G. c. JETT 1,765,764

l FRONT AXLE BUHPER Filed May 23. 1927 v2' Sheets-Sheet I5 @Ofez A den@vof' `the invention, the

FRONT-Amari Bri-Mtnl# i v l a Appncauonmeanay 23, ,This inventiony'relates to 'power' plant supv `ports :for vtractors'and ymoreparticularly topa bumper construction` orjrestrlcting laterall movementsof the-@power plant relative to the under-carriage ori [supportingstructure'. Forfthe purposev of. illustrating thefrinve'ntion, a-tractorpoweiwplantv of a 'wellt-knownv-J type, havin-g, its iront 'endpivotally mounted directlyr upon Vthefront axle of tractor, has;V beenshown` but fitV Ywill be appreciated thatmthe invention may be applied'with,v orwithout modification .from the illustrated embodiment to othertypes and-1 constructions Y,of o tractor power plant mounting.v 1 Y`ilrarctor's lof the well-known type illustrated are ordinarily.equipped withrfwheels at the' actory,but are yconvertedby otherVInanuffactu-rers'-into tractors oi'ythe` Creeper Aor chain-tread typevfor Ause wherei'rerv wheel type tractors may be' used andgwhere theYflatter may not `be used; Ordinarilyt these tractors lhavetheir powerplantsinQaSed in va relatively dust. and dirt-proof incasement.orwhousingwhich is of 'fairly strong construction;vv since it f serveslto support the* power plant from the ,und'ler-frame,-ii there ,bei one,or directly: fromthe axlesor trans- Vverse demembersof the tractor,` asthe case may beiv Regardlessof the arrangement, it isusualtopivot the'power plant unit including the incasement to one -of the axles ,or diemembers so that the power plant unit andthe member to which itis pivotedmay swingt relativelyto ,one another that is, the' pigvot axis is'. sodisposed that the power yplant mayy swing laterali-yor side to side,

relative to the directionv ot movement of the machine.y In. the' type ottractorv power plant mounting illustrating yoI-leembodiment A lowenplantincasement is provided with ownwardly projectingb spaced earsyor` lugs l substantially centrallythereof` at itsy rfront' end forstraddlinfg `the 'front axlfeior transverse ,y ,supporting member andfor pivotal; connection thereto.

Y Difficulties,y howeverQ-arse with ,construc 'tions Asuch as-thatabovespeoiied, particu- 4 liarlyv. when the tractor'. has 'beenconverted l from `a;.wheel-type:to a Creeper-type andis limiting,

19257. seri-ar No; 193,402@- inoving over rough or uneven; ground,l or

encounters an obstacle at one side or the iother, for in ysuchdinstancesr* the powerv Y an'extent that thevaxleA is 'drivenagain'stthe ineasementf or other structural-portion of thepower plant,. andiniiicts dar-nage of serious consequence. This' is not only partieularlytrue ofitraetors of thefpivoted orv swingingrpower plant typesyeqruippedwith chain thread or gripper sprocketsbut also of such typesoit`tractorv when equipped with the ordinary `round wheels, as wil'lybe'apparent; vInany case, whether the powerY plant be pivotally mountedon a 'member transverse to it at its front or rear end., Yorintermediate itshends,4 it may be. necessary or-.desirableto limit theextent of relative `movement that maybejhad and to vprevent the shock orlimitation-of such movements vfrom beinf'imparted to any one particularportion ci; the power plant or its incasementy'for if this should happenit Qwould undoubtedly result in serious damage 'such as breakage of. theyinca'sement or power plant-operating parts." y Y On'eof the primaryobjects ofmyinvention is to provide'af bumper or movement shockabsorbing Varrangement whereby relativeunov'ementsof the tractor motherimportant object is to,Y provide af bumper or buffer ,cc'mstructionAwhereby the shocks of limitation :of'relative movements of the body orpower plant andlaxle or other supporting structure .may bey ,fd-is-,tributed over-a relatively wide a-rea`'ov` the bodyror power plant andtrame or axles ina. ,be limited resilientlyv.

to provide a novel and eflcient type of re-f absorber adapters may bekutilized for dif-V ferent typesV otaxle or power plant supportingmembers, as V:tor instancethat type of axle illustratedv inl mycopending'appll-V cation, Serial No. Y153,5 9,filed December 9, v1926.vf ,Y Y v. ,Y

A sanv furthe? Object or the; invention vis i silient bumper which maybe. cheaply manu.-

factured and 4'eliectiyely utilized for its purf pose' n Y,

Many further objects, incli1ding lhede 1 tails of construction,arrangement andgconstruction` of parts, willbepor1 should bee come,vreadily appreciated after reading the following,description and claimslandafter viewinglthedrawings 11n which;V Y Fig. f1 1s a frontelevationalr view otra well-knowntype of tractorpower fplant .mountedz'on itsV factory equipped axle, *with 1 one form `:of zmyfinvention'appliedl thereto,

Y Y Q-Figp2`fis'a side.k elevational viewot the Vsame on aslightlyenlarged scale, looking at lthe right hand side' of Fig. 1, Y

isame on a slightly 'enlargedscale, looking from the left of:v Figzl, i.Figlf' is side-elevational view'otY the Y Fig. 4 is aftop'planview ofone form of I -aV 'special adapter construction orattachwedgeretainer-,i Y Y, y

r10 "isa fragmentary section;` taken Yment to the power'plantincasement` for. "absorbing" and distributing.- the shocks otY'limitationY. ofY relative; movements of the power plant and 'axle towhich it is pivoted.

`S'Figs. 45, 6 and 'm7,areQrespectively*rear and: left fand right side`elevational views V lan View of a bumper Von the iinaiowio of rig-9,and

Y f #Figsgll and VV112V` aretop fplan and Vbutt VV'-lend elevationalviews oit one forni ofwedge `Vbumper for use with'the wedge bumper re- Vtainerv andy shock distributing adapter Villustratedin thevpreviouslydescribed figures.

Referring to the drawings more particu? larly,2 generally designates thepower plant of afwell-known 'typeof'tractor suitably incasedinajhousing, a portion AofQwhich, designatedi3is usually termedrthecylinder frontcover; This housing memberV or cylin'der frontcover 3 'isusually a Ycasting and isf-'provided with a forwardly projecting portiongenerally designated 4, the topi surface 5 of whichisfliat to provide ashelf or bracket upon which the radiator is supportedr and secured. Thiscylinder front coverycastingis also f provided (with '-two downwardlydirected spaced llugs or ears vr6 providing a yoke adapted to straddle atransversesupporting member or axle 7 at its cen* er'sectionfvand eachisdrilled as shown at 8 `forthej.reception ofa pivot pin9 which l theaxle.

ing ldrilled Yin the axle.' It will thus be apparentl that the powerplant is pivotallylr supportedon the aXleso that it may swing laterallyfrom side to4V side with The bracket 4Vis ordinarily provided withrespect to V70' threebosses 11 through 'which openings are drilled forreception, ofV stud" boltsfwhichv ,Y Y'

secure` theradiatorin place,'but for .the purpose jot 'attaching a partof myj invention,

the V'usual stud bolts at the sides areremoved Vand longer ones 12substituted.- The stud 'bolts 12 lpass through lugs ljformed on Y' whatI shall term the wedge bumper bracket,` generally designated 14,V which,for the moditlcationA and application of Vthe invention- "iereinillustrated, yis formed as Vshown more particularly in Figs4 to8inclusive,"to whichv reference' will nowsbe made.v

Thewedgebumper bracket 14l is 'preferr-V 98-5 Y ably*l a steel'castingof generally rectangular shape in plan, having .three lugs, 13,Y 13 andY tion 17V", the purpose of whichwill be de-V 16. lt is alsoprovidedfwith bosses 15,-l andy g Awith bumper stopplatesl?.AYrecess'ed-por-' '90,

scribed, is tormedin one side of thebracket 14. rlhe rear transversemember of*Vv the bumper bracket is curved' downwardly as Y shown atr18for the purpose of clearingaV A i rounded portion of the cylinder frontcover V4oil-theV tractor power plant. WhenV the bumper bracketris tobesecured in place 'on 14 and thereafter be locked inV place.

the reception of stud bolts 23j'which pass therethroughy and screwinto'stay members 24 and 25and are secured in place as by cot terkey 2 6and' nut27.Y The'stay member 24 for the Alett handV side,viewingthefront of' the-tractor, is secured,y to the cylinder front cover Sandto the crank case sump' 20 by bolts l28 "andy 29, while bolts31 and 82Vlikewise secure Ythe stay member 25 in 'a' similar-"manner on theopposite side ofthe tractorVV and as thusf positioned, the bumperbracket is tightly securedjagainst longitudinal or vertical-movenients;`Impacts received onthe stopl plateslr-will betransmitted to thoseVportions of the trontcylirr der'c'overfandthe other-portions ofthe'power plant incasement, best 'able' to receive them. Suchshocks willals'o'be distributed the-Vv cylinder ftront cover, thel boltsY '127 arel passed through the lugs 13 and 11 andjinto `the radiator, a stud bolt19 isA s crewedinto the Vlug Al'which-.is positioned soithat the headlof the'stud bolt 19 will engage the'head f' z -of-a studrbolt21, alsoserving to secure'the Vradiator to the cylinder front cover, anda locknut 22 is arranged on the stud bolt 19V f Iand against theflugl so thatthe stud vbolt p Y19 may be urged against the head of studl bolt-21 toput tension on' the bumper bracket overa relatively wide area and not atany one or two places, as has heretofore" been the case. r '1 u f Inorder tov secure the -bumper bracket against side slap or lateralmovements,the left hand side of thebracket intermediate thesides of thestop platef17 on the top surface oic the latter is provided witha boss33 which is drilled as shown at 34 at anangle to the horizontal andtapped forV the reception of a setscrew 35, the inner end oi" which isadapted to abut against a shoulder 36 formed on the cylinder front coverand the head 37 of which is received in the recess 17 and provided witha Cotter key 38 which prevents it from turning therein. The top surfacesof the stop plates 17 may be recessed" a's'shown at 39 for the purpose0i' receiving bosses 40'formed on the'cylinder front cover in abuttingrelation. It shouldbe under.- stood that the steel casting is made ofsufficient proportions to afford the requisitel strength Jforv the partit is to play. y

Tliebottom surfaces of 'the stop plates 17 are substantially flat inapreferred torni of the invention and cooperate with similarly shapedtop surfaces of rubber or other resilient Y composition wedge shapedbumpers, generally designated 41 and 42` respectively which are carriedin special adapters mountl f ed onlthe front axle.

Referring now more particularly to Figs 1, 2,3 and 9 to 12 inelusive,a'pair of saddle members or wedge retainers 43 and 144, one lefthandandV one right hand, are provided, .andsin'ce they arev substantiallyidentical with oneanother, a

description of one will vsuiific'eV for both'. y

Each wedge Yretainer is of yoke shape, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, soYthat it may straddle the Jfront axle 7. The lower ends of the yoke armsare drilled for thereception 'of bolts 45 which, pass beneath, butclosely adjacentthe bottom surface of the axle, to preven them fromjumping outof place, while anchor `rods 46, each bent at right angles atone end, as shown at 47 for engagement through a suitable aperture inone arm of the yoke of each lretainer where l it is cottered in place,and at its other endv provided with an eye 48 through which andthroughsuitable apertures in the ends of the axles, bolts 49 are.passed,prevent movement of the retainers along the axle.

The top portions of the wedge retainers are provided with depressed seatportions 51 normally below the level of the top surface of the axle 7'and are bounded on all four sides by iiang'es 52, 53, 54 and 55. Theflanges 52 are undercut, as more clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 9 forengagement with the lower right and left hand edges of the butt face ofthe rubberwedges 41 and 42,

y while the flanges 53 and 55 are likewise undercut -or overhanginginwardly toward o iieanother as illustrated `in Fig. 10 for 'reason ofthe bumper bracket and its stops'A portions of the side edges of therubber wedges se that vthe wedges, when orced into place on the seats51, willbetightly retained inthe wedge retainer. Thefwedge's.i'en'gagement about the outwardly ia'nged :tor the type ofconstruction` illustrated are also notched orgrooved longitudinalljyfandcentrally of their-bottom faces', as shown. at

57 for the purpose of straddling and ridingV 'upon the topk surface otthe laxle whereby the' axle, 'when the retainers with? their l'wedgeburripersfine place, will, ltogether'witli rthe flanges 52, 53 and 55,prevent the wedges. from coming out of placer lThe notch or4 lgroove 57aids-'in inserting' the wedges into their retainers for they may therebybe coin pressed suiiicieifitly, by grasping the side flanges 56,tecleary the' flanges 53 and 55 but other forms and types ctw/edges andretain`- ersfmay be used'. u 'f Y The wedges and their associated partsare se-fconstructed and arranged ,as to leave a reasonable clearancebetween the topxsurfaces of the wedgesA the stop plates 17 and 18 whenthe parts are assembled-theirA noi-'malY operating position. 'Since thisclearance is provided and sincethe wedges are made of rubber or otherresilient material, the axle 7 and the power plantunit may pivotrelatively to one another about thevpivot 9 for a reasonable distance,adistance" suiiicient to prevent straining the tractor parts andmechanism when traveling'over uneven or rough ground, but sinceexcessive" ranges of movement are not often necessary and are usuallyobjectionable, theyfwill beV prevented.r Not only will the relativemove! 'ments of power plant and axle be limited,

but there will'be no danger of metal part' contacting sharply with metalpart, and byi and their arrangement, the load imposed on both the powerplant unit and axle by reason of the limitation of their relative move?ments will be absorbed and distributedfover..

stresses and possible strains and fractures of the several parts. s

The construction, arrangement, and Yadvantages of the form of'myinvention illus-1,115.V` j" y Y 10 Y* a wide area, thereby eliminatingundug--l beV apparent to the reader, and since the in-.Tl'zo ventionwithin its scope, embraces formsk Y.

bearing little if anyy resemblance to that il said supporting member forswinging moveglgo l lustrated and described, I do not desireto be y-y"ments relative thereto,V stop means'on said l Y support Jforresilientlyv limiting said relative swinging movements, and rigid'meansrig- "idly secured-toy'said incas'ement vand normally unconnected Withsaid limiting means Ifoidistributing any shook effects of limita,- tionVof such relative'movements over a 'relatively large area 'ofsaid'incasement;

i 2.111 a tractor, a powevplant housing, a `"front aXle,-"a rigidbolster f rigidly Vsecured tothe front edge of'sai'd housing at a plu-`rality of 'Widely separated places and .to the two lateral sides of'said housing at a i vplurality of Widely separated places on each iside,saidbolster being pivotally connected tosaid axle .and movable relativethereto only `pivotally, and resilient means rigidly secured-.to saidaxle atoppo'site sides of said pivotV positioned normally` out or"Contact with said Vbolster but adapted toserve as bumpers' upon pivotalVmovement of the bolster relative Vto the axis beyond certain'prevdetermined limits. u Y

' 1 n vwitness of the foregoing' IaixV my 2i--25`signature j I f Y LGEORGE C. JETT.

van

